This invention relates to the collection of fluids, and, more particularly, to the collection of body fluids using suction collection equipment.
In many medical and other procedures it is necessary to collect fluids that form, for example, in the body of a patient, often as a result of operating procedures or in connection with diseases which produce undesired fluids in various body cavities, such as the lungs. More frequently, the fluid is in the form of blood which is suctioned and aspirated during cleaning procedures. In these cases there is a danger from contact with the collected fluids.
Thus, when material is aspirated from the respiratory tract there is a serious risk of having health care workers acquire herpes virus from patients with occult infections. Similarly, the personnel of operating rooms have a serious risk of acquiring hepatitis B from contact with blood of HB Ag-positive patients. In addition, many surgical procedures are associated with infections where implants or high-flow suction is used. In coronary bypass procedures suction lines are used to return aspirated blood from a wound to an oxygenator. Thereafter the blood is returned to the patient. When the line is not aspirating blood, it is aspirating room air which mixes with the blood in the machine and increases the risk of patient infection.
Moreover, the suctional process creates a froth or a foam of the fluid being collected. This gives rise to mists and aerosols which can spread through the collection system and produce infections unless special precautions are taken.
Numerous attempts have been made to devise disposable containers for use with suctional equipment with special valving to reduce the danger from the undesired spread of infection-laden aerosols and mists throughout the collection system. Representative collection techniques are illustrated in the following patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Issued Inventor ______________________________________ 3,685,517 8/22/72 G. S. Reynolds, et al. 3,699,315 10/24/74 L. K. Holbrook 3,811,485 5/21/74 L. K. Holbrook 3,863,663 2/4/75 W. J. Bornhorst 3,965,902 6/29/76 R. J. Reilly et al. 4,245,637 1/20/81 R. L. Nichols ______________________________________
While providing improved and safer performance, the usual valving arrangements are complex, costly and insufficiently reliable. They often result in termination of the suction before the cannister is appropriately filled. In some cases the avoidance of system contamination requires that the closure valve be operated when the collection container is less than half, and sometimes only one-third, full. This is often the result of early operation of the valve because of the froth generated during the collection process. In such a case, if an attempt is made to restart the equipment after an initial valve closure, there is a serious danger of system contamination. In other cases even when the buildup of froth is not serious, the aerosol particles that are created during suction are able to pass through the valving into the collection line.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to facilitate the collection of fluids. A related object is to facilitate the collection of body fluids. Another related object is to facilitate the collection of body fluids using suctional equipment.
Still another object of the invention is to simplify the control over suction used in the collection of fluids. A related object is to achieve suitable control over suction without using any valving arrangement.
Yet another object of the invention is to enhance the efficience with which collection can be made of body fluids. A related object is to achieve efficient collection of body fluids while reducing the danger of contamination to the collection system.